Concert Road Trip

In September for my parent's birthday I treated them to a concert at a nearby casino (well a road trip away).   Martina McBride! 

I heard on the radio she was playing at a couple of local venues and I really wanted to go - Dave is so not a Country Music fan and wouldn't appreciate her voice.  My next option - my parents.  And Low & Behold - it was also their birthdays.  We left plenty early that Friday night hoping to beat the traffic and we did for the most part. 

The family selfie


And boy can that woman sing!  We didn't get the best seats in the house, but we had great bleacher seats (first come first serve).





We stayed the night at a nearby hotel and Dad was having some stomach issues, and I apparently got food poisoning at breakfast that morning and was sick the whole way home.  My mom had a car full of sick annoying concert goers.   Well at least we had a great night!

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Camping Shenanigans

Memorial Day in our family means a camping getaway.. this year with my side of the family.  Grammy, GrampC, Uncle Matt and his family of four.  We ventured to a new (to us) campground in El Dorado County on the American River - Camp Lotus.  We got out late thanks to some last minute work on my part and then a boatload of traffic, so we made it to the campground close to 9pm.

So the next morning we got things started early.  Breakfast, mimosas and some Catch Phrase (well the kids did without the alcohol).

L-R: Avery & Drew

Matt just found my camera

A little whiffle ball before the days adventures

Bird Invasion

After cleaning up from breakfast we made our way out for a day of wine tasting.  I forgot my camera so all of the pictures are from my cell phone.

The ladies L-R: Grammy Kathie, Auntie Rana, Me

David Girard Winery

The Kids Keeping Cool & Occupied

The Happy Couple

Family Photo

Wine Club Member area

View from the Wine Club Member Area

Gold Hill Winery & Brewery - Adrina & Drew

Miss Avery

Daddy, Drew (and Adrina)

Stop #3, Nello Olivo Winery

 The best thing that happened this trip was when Auntie Rana suckered GrampC into trying the cinnamon challenge.  There was a ramekin of cinnamon near a jug of sangria and it got Rana & GrampC talking about what you could do with it.  Rana dared GrampC to see if he could eat a tablespoon full of cinnamon without drinking anything or coughing it up.  Here's the video of what happened:





Poor GrampC...

Group Photo (no Drew)
L-R: Matt, Rana, Grammy, Avery, Adrina
Back: Dave, Me, GrampC

After a day winetasting we made our way back and found the American River - across the street from our campsite.

Adrina, Drew, Me

Uncle Matt & Avery

While we were on the shore we saw a "rock bar" where we could try and stake claim the next day.  And that's just what we did.  We spent the entire day in the water enjoying the scenery and beverages.

Uncle Matt & Adrina on the Rocks

Matt & I (rafters in the background)

Such tough guys

Adrina & Drew

Uncle Matt, Auntie Rana & Adrina (Avery was napping)

Family Shot

The American River

Battle of the Cold Ones

Random Rock Art

Avery finally woke up from her nap

This was a great campsite that was one of the least expensive to go to.  We'll be back for sure!

Another Shout Out for the 60/40

One more shout-out for Grammy and GrampC's 60th birthday - 40th Wedding Anniversary Celebration...

Back in October we visited my parent's church where my Aunt and Grandma put together a 60/40 reception for my parents after services.  Here are the pictures my sister took on her phone.

That would be my niece Chloe with Grammy and GrampC

The 60/40 Party

Last month we had a 60/40 Party for my parents at my Brother and Sister-in-Law's house.  What's a 60/40 party you ask?  Well it's a 60th birthday party for both my parents who turned 60 in September, and an anniversary party honoring their 40th Wedding Anniversary coming up later this month.

We asked them what they wanted to do for their Birthdays/Anniversary - since clearly it's a big one for both celebrations.  They came back with they wanted to have a nice dinner with the entire family.  So what did we do - we threw them a fancy dinner party.  Surf and turf - Filets and Lobster, and who can forget the wine?

There was one little surprise in store for them though.... a special guest that they didn't know about.  Here's the video surprise courtesy my sister-in-law Rana's cell phone.



That's my Mom's Cousin Jodi who flew in that day from Minnesota/Wisconsin.  And here's the photographic proof of the surprise...

 

We took a plethora of pictures that night... here are the highlights.

My sister Lisa and her youngest Chloe

Dave and my brother Matt hamming it up

Jodi and my Mom (aka Grammy)

My Grandma (aka GG) and Aunt Connie (aka Jodi's Mom and Grandma's Sister)

Drew

 Aunt Connie and GG

Dave and I

My brother Matt and Rana

Dave, Jodi, and my Dad (aka GrampC) - I think my Dad is trying to do Dave's "eyebrow" thing.  At least I'm hoping he's trying to do something other than look like a big dork...

Matt photobombing the picture of Dave and my Dad.

One of the bottles of wine we drank - I think it was a double magnum.  Gone in about 15 minutes :)

I believe this was the third bottle of wine opened... I liked the name of it.

Rana, Avery (Matt and Rana's youngest) and Jodi

Jodi (aka the baby hog) and Avery

One of the dinner tables (we had a total of 3).  

Matt and Avery - she was a happy girl that night!

It was a great night and I think my parents had a great time - which is all that counts.  Hard to imagine those days when we were living in California just the five of us, while everyone else was back in Minnesota and how small our dinner tables were.  Now we stretch into 3!  Wonderful time with family.